


In My Place

by Lifeisforliving



Series: The art room // 221b [6]
Category: Sherlock (TV), johnlock - Fandom
Genre: Badboy john, F/M, High School, Insecure John, Insecure Sherlock Holmes, Love, M/M, Molly is a Good Friend, Shy Sherlock, Teenlock, reassurance, rebel john
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:35:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lifeisforliving/pseuds/Lifeisforliving
Summary: Sherlock never truly takes the time to think of students who transfer to his school, much less end of the year transfers considering they have little to no actual impact on his life. But when a new transfer student from the United States transfers and instantly takes a liking to Sherlock... Well we get to see a new side of John we've never encountered before.





	In My Place

_________________

Being completely honest, John never really thought about what those surrounding him thought about him. Nor did he care. 

As he walked through the hallway heading to his locker this particular Friday morning, he only glanced around as he saw the somewhat familiar faces cross his path on their own way to their lockers. Only pausing slightly to nod a greet to one of his friends, Mike, who as always was leaning against the locker trying to make plans with yet another girl.

Shaking his head with a smile, he continued his route remembering Sherlock’s lack of appearance in his morning due to the fact that he had a meeting with the University of Cambridge for a summer chemistry program they were interested including him in. 

John had been the one that had ended up convincing Sherlock to go to the meeting after Sherlock’s parents had been forwarded the email by the Dean of Natural Sciences. Sherlock was in all terms, an academic snob and found Cambridge to just be okay, leaning more towards Oxford University, and University College London. 

Smiling to himself, he popped open his locker to exchanged his notebooks for his first chunk of classes when Jake, one of his mates walked up to him holding his own assignment he needed to turn into his first class.

“Where’s Holmes?” Jake asked looking around as though John had hidden Sherlock in plain sight. 

“He’s in a meeting for some summer chem program at the University of Cambridge. They emailed him about 3 times asking him if he was interested.” 

Jake made a low whistling noise to represent how impressed he was, laughing he only shook his head in amusement, “You got yourself a real scholar there Johnny Boy. I can’t imagine what his pillow talk is like.” 

John shut his locker and shoved Jake rolling his eyes, “Don’t call me Johnny, only Sherlock can do that… and don’t talk about my sex life, you prick.” 

Rolling his eyes, Jake only accompanied John down the corridor as the beginning bell rang announcing their five minute mark before their first classes began. Though he couldn’t help the smile that overtook his face as he thought about Sherlock and where he was  
_____________

Sherlock sat at his lab desk moments before the bell rang, announcing the commencement of his second class which he had narrowly missed due to the meeting at Cambridge going longer than anticipated after Sherlock had questioned almost everything regarding the program.

Molly only gave him a greeting smile as she took out her lab notebook since today they were going to be studying motion in their physics lab, something Sherlock couldn’t help but find mind numbingly boring.

After disregarding the pre-lab lecture completely, they were set off in partners to study the range in motion and velocity compared to the density of the differing balls 

However, after Sherlock gave Molly a disgusted look after the lab instructor handed them safety goggles due to the fact that if you are at risk of shooting your eye, or the eye of those around you with a rubber ball, you had no business in school.

Sherlock couldn’t help but smile alongside Molly as she mimicked her own disgusted look towards the goggles before they both begrudgingly put them on because their lab instructor was a true stickler for the rules and regulations surrounding safety. 

Heading to the ramp that was designated for them to use, Molly asked why he had been late that day as she collected the four rubber balls, all differing in density which was clearly labeled on each one of them because apparently they thought they were idiots.

“Oh, I had a meeting at Cambridge about some summer chemistry program they were interested in having me be a part of because I got a perfect score on that national chemistry exam they administered at the beginning of the semester.” Sherlock explained as he took out the pen he had in his right pocket and began writing both his and Molly’s name at the top right of the lab paper. 

Molly gave him an impressed look which made him laugh a bit before he stood at the head of the ramp while Molly stood near the slope in order to record the speed. 

Letting the ball go, they both watched as it obviously did nothing more than one would expect for it to do. It just rolled, and Molly recorded the speed down on their lab paper before Sherlock did it again as to make sure there were no out of the ordinary conditions surrounding the speed. 

There obviously weren’t.

“Are you going to go to Cambridge for the program?” Molly asked as she handed Sherlock the second ball, though he only shook his head.

“I know Mycroft wants me to go, he says it’ll be a great opportunity to make new friends who are up to par with me… But I really am not interested, after going today and observing another in-semester chemistry group, it just seems so bland, and those who are a part of it seem so bland and lifeless.” 

Molly hummed, recording yet another predictable set of data before mentioning her own summer studies shadowing an emergency physician at the local hospital where her older brother was working. Though she wasn’t sure whether her medical path would take to a forensic pathologist, or an emergency physician. 

“You’re intelligent Molly, either one of those will suit you well enough.” Sherlock complimented simply before the lab instructor caught the attention of the entire group, though this time it was because of the student who was standing to her left. 

From the back of the room Sherlock could sense his apprehension in regards to being at this new school, since he was obviously new because he had never been seen before. It became even more obvious to everyone he was new when he spoke and an American accent came tumbling out of his mouth as he introduced himself as, “Lukas Reynolds” 

He was arrogant, Sherlock could see it from his corner. The way he squared off his shoulders and almost looked at everyone in a haughty way, Sherlock knew he was from money and was very much not afraid to flaunt it, considering he was wearing unbelievably overpriced jeans.

Sherlock gave him a quick once over before he deemed him uninteresting and unimportant. Turning back to the data sheet they had to fill out before the end of class, Sherlock quickly calculated the mean of the first two. 

Evidently, the instructor saw Sherlock’s lack of interest in regards to the new student who was going to have trouble finding a group to go to since everyone was already paired up meaning he was the odd one out which was not a favorable situation to be in. 

“Mr. Holmes and Ms. Hooper would you two mind having Lukas in your group until our absent student returns tomorrow? No? I wouldn’t think so. Molly raise your hand since your partner seems very preoccupied.” 

Molly raised her hand to which Lukas responded with just a nod before he headed to the back of the class where Sherlock was still just as uninterested in meeting anyone new as he had been when Lukas had first turned up. 

Though apparently Lukas was very much interested in getting to know him since he made it very obvious when he looked Sherlock up at down as though he were a piece of meat. Molly bit her lip again because she knew Sherlock wasn’t going to have any sort of response to him, or his possible flirting. 

“I’m Molly, and this is Sherlock. Sorry, he’s filling out the math section of the lab today.” Molly explained as Lukas looked over to her after Sherlock completely disregarded his presence right beside him in favor of quickly filling out the velocity/acceleration.

“I’m Lukas… So what are we doing?” He asked as he put down his backpack intentionally close to Sherlock’s leg in order to gain his attention. Sherlock only shifted his leg and continued his busy work which Lukas noticed he was doing with a pen rather than a pencil like everyone else. 

Apparently this guy knew he wasn’t going to be making any mistakes which intrigued Lukas even more. 

“Here’s the sheet Molly, let’s continue- oh, hello.” Sherlock said finally acknowledging Lukas’ presence, however he didn’t quite enjoy how Lukas gave him a once over before he stuck out his hand to shake it with Lukas’ who was already hanging out. 

After taking his hand back after deeming the handshake long enough, Sherlock turned to Molly who was handing him the third ball to roll down the ramp. 

“You have really big hands… You know what they say about big hands.” Lukas commented which made Molly’s mouth drop open in shock, though she hid it by looking down towards the desk.

“That I am much more capable of playing the guitar, rather than someone who has small hands?” Sherlock asked in a slightly irritated tone because he really did not find this conversation interesting enough to continue. 

Lukas was going to respond what Molly knew he was going to, but instead Molly butt in to ask Sherlock what book he was currently reading because if she hadn’t butted in Lukas would have hell to pay with John. 

After being cut off by Molly, Lukas began treading lightly around Sherlock because he was obviously attracted to him, it was hard to avoid being attracted to such a person. But Molly’s reaction made him feel as though he were missing out on some tidbit of information. 

But before he could ask Sherlock any more questions, the lab instructor came over to their table and chastised all three of them for failing to wear to safety goggles which made Sherlock’s face flush red because of the added attention he was getting from his peers now that his lab instructor was speaking to him. 

Something that made him much more attractive to Lukas who only looked at Sherlock as the instructor asked them to help Lukas catch up on everything as best he could in order to join them on the final lab day which was the following Friday of their last week of class. 

They only nodded because there was no way to say no without sounding like a bad person, so that lunch they were going to spend their time with Lukas catching him up on the formulas he needed to be up to par with the rest of the class. 

As the instructor left Sherlock took out his phone and texted John to let him know where he was going to be. 

Sherlock (9:57 AM):  
I’m going to be in the physics lab during lunch with Molly catching up this new student on the material for the final lab next week.   
Sherlock (9:58 AM):  
Feel (more) than free to join. 

“Are you telling John?” Molly asked as she took out her own phone to let Greg know to not wait for her outside of her Literature classroom today. 

Sherlock nodded with a smile as he read John’s response. 

John (9:59 AM):  
I would never miss an opportunity to see you dressed extra well. 

Lukas wanted to ask who John was but decided against it in favor of standing quite close to Sherlock as Molly had already passed him the paper for him to fill out the mathematical section of it since she wasn’t too fond of equations and Sherlock excelled. 

Molly only bit her lip as she looked at the very quiet unashamed Lukas and the blatantly oblivious Sherlock who was too focused in on the work to notice him.   
__________

Sherlock was currently alone in the lab at the beginning of lunch since they had all met but they had all gone to their own duties before they really cracked down on the rest of the cram study session.

Molly had gone to the restroom, Lukas had gone to seek out the physics textbook, and Sherlock was left waiting for John as he sat reclining on a desk a bit when he was taken out of thoughts by a low wolf-whistle coming from the entrance.

Of course, it was John who was sauntering over to him while making it very clear he was checking him out.

John was a fan of the outfit comprising of black skinny jeans, a dark blue tucked in dress shirt, and black dressing shoes. 

Sherlock smiled and kissed John hello as he walked into his vicinity, only blushing as John pulled away and pepper multiple kisses alongside his left cheek and down his neck while murmuring about how handsome and hot Sherlock looked.

Pausing when he heard footsteps, he turned to see Molly and another bloke entering. 

While John had never claimed- nor would he ever claim to be the most observant person in the world, he most definitely saw when this guy looked Sherlock up and down with a smarny look which John of course did not like.

“Hey, I’m Lukas.” He introduced himself with his American accent irritating John almost immediately, though he forced himself to be polite as he stuck out his own, giving him a smile, “John.” 

Nodding briefly, Lukas turned his whole attention over to Sherlock who smiled at him, “Can we continue with it?”

They all agreed, and Sherlock and Molly both went up to the front of the class to write down the basic formulas to just get the basics as well as possible.

As they wrote down the root equations, Lukas turned to John who was now sitting at one of the lab stations watching as Sherlock wrote the equations from memory as easily as one could breathe. He never ceased to impress John, his intellect was beyond belief. 

He was taken out of his admiration by Lukas who was now leaning on the lab bench in front of his, “Who are you? Are you his friend or something?” 

John schooled his expression before he looked over to Lukas who had a tone John wasn’t particularly fond of. 

“I’m the boyfriend.” 

Personally, John would have paid a good amount of money to have been able to photograph Lukas’ surprised expression at John’s response. Apparently, he had thought Sherlock was single and available, but he was very much sorely mistaken. 

“You’re his boyfriend?” 

As Sherlock turned around after finishing writing down the equations, he blushed as John threw a wink towards him before he responded to Lukas, “Yes. I am the boyfriend.”

Lukas raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise because he had thought Sherlock was single, and or that his boyfriend was… well not John. His mind was stuttering for a moment before he regained his thoughts and he looked towards John. 

“Interesting. I thought Sherlock would be with someone more well suited for him.” 

John had many options as to what he could have responded, but instead he looked at Lukas who was looking at Sherlock who was explaining some sort of astrophysical discovery that had been made not too long ago. 

“Yeah, well, I’d say I’m really well suited for him. But before you choose to run your mouth any more than you already have, you should go learn those equations.” 

Without responding Lukas just walked over to the two who were at the front of the class waiting expectantly for him to take notes of the sub explanations they had written below the equations. John only stayed at the desk since he didn’t have any residual interest in learning physics. 

It was apparent Sherlock had no interest in continuing the lesson, and the only reason he was even there was because he felt guilt leaving Molly to teach Lukas what he had missed. 

“No… You have to find the average velocity, then set up the equation, and find the distance between the beginning and end points… You’re confusing this with the mass equation.” Sherlock explained as Lukas read what he understood out loud. 

Molly only chuckled a bit before she took over because while Sherlock was many things, a good teacher was in fact not one of them. 

Grateful for Molly taking over, Sherlock walked over to John who was smiling at him as he sauntered over to him similar to what John had done when he walked into the classroom at the beginning of lunch. 

“How’d the meeting go?” John asked as Sherlock sat on the desk in front of his with a shrug, “Well they think it went really well, but I personally think it was really quite boring and pointless for me to go. Everyone in the in-semester group is incredibly arrogant and up their own arse, they just believe they are the absolute best thing to ever happen to the realm of chemistry.” 

“So…. not unlike yourself?” John teased which caused Sherlock to sniff indignantly, “Be as that may, sometimes, what they’re doing now I did during winter break while I waited for my dissection microscope to come in over winter break.” 

John only shook his head with a smile before Sherlock commented again, “Plus, a summer away from you which I would have to spend with mindless morons who are more infuriating than people here is not something i want to do.” 

Looking over to Lukas, he saw him filling out an example problem with Molly. He only rolled his eyes before turning to Sherlock who had a mischievous look on his face. 

“What classes are you in after lunch?” 

“European History and Biology, but in Biology we’re just watching videos on the world’s Biological makeup until the end of the year.” 

Sherlock nodded with pierced lips, “Well I only have Study hall and French, both of which are equally useless. So how you would like to, let’s say…. Go to the drop off point by that lake that’s not too far from here instead of going to our useless courses? I mean, I would usually be firmly against missing class, but it is the end of the semester..” 

He only chuckled in response before nodding, “We’re not going to miss anything, and they aren’t going to miss us today.” 

John hopped off of the lab bench and went over to grab Sherlock’s bag which was sitting on a random chair before turning to Sherlock who was more than ready to get his weekend started far away from school. 

He had been antsy for the semester to end since he had already been unmotivated to attend any classes since few of them actually provided him with useful information. Or so he said. 

John couldn’t help but smile at the fact that Sherlock had already interlaced their hands together as he tugged them towards the door since they needed to stop by John’s locker to pick up his backpack. But before Sherlock could successfully drag him out of the door, he stopped to call out to Molly who was observing what Lukas was doing. 

“Molly, can you cover for Sherlock in Study Hall and French? Also ask Greg to cover for me in Euro and Bio. We’ll cover for you guys next time you play hooky together after lunch.” 

Waving them off with a nod, “I’ll let him know. We’ll definitely take you up on that offer next week.” 

Thanking her, John allowed Sherlock to drag him out of the classroom and out towards the lockers while he was chatting a mile a minute about everything that had happened during the meeting from the very beginning. 

It was a habit Sherlock had, he always tended to stay quiet around larger groups of people, but when it was just John he spoke about everything under the sun. 

Back in the lab room, Lukas had been staring at John and Sherlock’s joined hands as John asked Molly for his favor. 

Casually, he went back to his notebook to rewrite some numbers in a neater fashion for future use while he asked how long those two had been together. 

“Six months, yeah, this is their seventh month together. I only know because Sherlock made me go to his house and help him cook dinner for their anniversary and then proceeded to ask me to leave out of the kitchen window so John wouldn’t catch on to me helping him.” Molly responded fondly as she began to erase everything from the board. 

Overall they had made good time, they had about half of their lunch left. 

“Oh that’s a while to be together. Are they serious? About one another, I mean.” Lukas asked as he began helping erase the second board. 

“They’re really quite serious I’d say. They’ve really been good for one another.” She commented after putting down the dry erase board marker. Heading back to her bag she began putting everything in her backpack as Lukas asked what had meant. 

Right after his question, Greg walked in and over to her, but she still responded. 

“Well, Sherlock was really reserved before John. He’s still reserved and shy, but he’s definitely happier and much less defensive. Same for John, I’d never seen him go steady with anyone, but suddenly there’s Sherlock and that’s all he needs to be the biggest sweetheart to someone.” 

Shrugging, Molly handed over her backpack to Greg who was taking it off her shoulders in order to take it for her. 

Lukas only thought about it as she waved goodbye and headed out with who he assumed was her boyfriend, leaving him to only his thoughts. 

Sherlock had a boyfriend. A very, well menacing looking boyfriend. But then again, Sherlock deserved to be with someone who was much more his speed, and he could just tell John was not the ideal boyfriend for Sherlock.   
_____________

Currently they were sitting on the drop off point. It wasn’t the safest decision, but they both realized they weren’t children and could very well sit where they truly pleased. 

“So that Lukas guy is a bit of a prick isn’t he?” John asked as he picked up his slushee which they had stopped to get after Sherlock had mentioned he had been craving one after being forced to watch Glee with Mycroft who was home before his most stressful weeks at University began. 

Taking his slushie away, he shrugged because he didn’t really care for the guy. 

“He’s arrogant, that’s for sure. But not in a complimenting way, in the way that his motivation to be arrogant comes from his family’s wealth. He mentioned how his dad is neurosurgeon and his mom is a general practitioner.” 

John only rolled his eyes and laid back because he just could get the way Lukas was looking at Sherlock out of his head, it really unsettled him. 

“But he also made a weird comment about my hands a few moments after we had just met.” Sherlock added, making John shoot up in seconds to give him a confused look, immediately asking what exactly he had said. 

“Uh- he just said I had really big hands and then said, “You know what they say about big hands.” which I didn’t, but Molly cut in before he could continue speaking.” Sherlock finished explaining, looking down at his hands which had never particularly interested him. 

He looked over to see John laughing, though without really meaning it in a humorful way. Shaking his head he took Sherlock’s hand in his own before explaining. 

“There’s this belief among women that men with big feet or big hands are very well endowed.” John responded as delicately as possible, breaking out into a smile as Sherlock’s face flushed red in realization exactly what he had been hinting to. 

Sherlock felt uncomfortable considering he wasn’t a very openly sexual person, as many boys his age had the tendency to be. He kept his sex life private, to himself, and of course the person with whom he was doing said sexual things, which was evidently John. The thought of someone else meddling into his sex life was unsettling to say the least, even if it had just been a benign comment. 

Shrugging it off, he leaned his head on John’s shoulder and began telling him how the Dean of Chemistry at Cambridge had an affair with his best mate a few months prior and how he had been able to tell.   
____________________

The weekend passed in a flurry of Sherlock’s reckless experiments, John having to stay home to babysit Harry because his mother was going out for a fun “girl’s night” with her coworkers which meant she didn’t trust Harry to not do anything reckless with the house if she were to be left alone, and of course, John and Sherlock’s constant banter through the weekend. 

As always, the first few days of the week had been really quite dull. Even if it was the last week of school, the usual adrenalin that came along with the final days of school were seemingly gone because of the anticipation of summer shadowing the somewhat decent activities teachers were handing out during the empty schedule classes. 

Molly was sitting at Sherlock’s right in their Advanced Chemistry class they were both partaking in that semester in order to have a less rigorous schedule the following semester. 

While Molly had never claimed to be the most observant person, she usually gave that title to Sherlock, she couldn’t help but notice how much closer Lukas had managed to get with Sherlock in the last four days. 

For many reasons, he probably shouldn’t interest Sherlock. But at the mention that he had a part of the Junior Robotics league, though the team he was a part of was funded by none other than MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A University that held weight wherever it may be wielded. 

To be accepted itself was a prestigious offer, but to be granted early admission after aiding the robotics team to a national championship…. Well that gathered Sherlock’s attention in a heartbeat because only the best of the best could even fathom being a part of such a notorious team, much less university. 

That and his 4.3 GPA he had maintained while taking college courses, well Sherlock just knew Lukas wasn’t just any ordinary student. He wanted to understand his mind, and sure, he could look past all of the blatant arrogance he held in order to be told all of the quite marvelous stories about MIT and those he worked with. 

The only thing about that was while Sherlock believed he was only maintaining interesting conversation with someone who had about average intellect, Lukas believed something else. While Sherlock was focused on this explanation or the other, Lukas was focused on flirting, and truly getting to know the enigma that was Sherlock Holmes and that apparently only Molly Hooper and John Watson had ever truly gotten to know. 

Because to him, the better he knew Sherlock, the better his chances of wooing him right out from under John Watson.

John had noticed. Of course he did. 

As with one’s significant other, you notice almost every detail, as small and insignificant as it may seem, one notices it. So of course John noticed the looks Lukas gave Sherlock, the lingering touches, the flirtatious laughs, and of course the seemingly endless texts and phone calls they were exchanging. He knew Sherlock didn’t think anything of it since Sherlock was very open about it, but Lukas, well he worried about him. 

It had gotten to the point here John needed to find Lukas while he was alone because Lukas had apparently become one of the most well known students in their school so catching him alone was tough, but he managed. 

Rounding off the corner and heading to his locker, John leaned against the one beside Lukas’ locker which he was currently shuffling through, though he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride when he saw the nervous look Lukas gave him. 

“Look, I don’t care if you have a crush on my boyfriend, go ahead, fawn all you want, make up your fantasies about you and him falling in love and running off into the sunset, I couldn’t care less. But, when you are constantly texting, calling, and talking to my boyfriend…. Well that’s where you and I have an issue.” John explained cooly, reveling in the quiet way Lukas closed his locker before facing him. 

“Leave my boyfriend alone. You can admire from afar, have a casual chat here and there, a simple text over the summer every so often, by all means, go. But, you can’t have him like you want him, you know why? Because he’s my boyfriend, and in turn that means we are together and that you don’t fit into the relationship in any way, shape, and or form.” 

Lukas bit his lip before he spoke before losing all of his nerve because it was a well known fact, even to the new student, that John never strayed from a good fight. Especially when it came to Sherlock Holmes. 

Taking a breath he responded to John, “You think you’re what’s best for him do you? You ordinary, insignificant, little douche. You can’t challenge him intellectually, you can hardly even keep up with what he’s saying. But you know who can? Me. I know Sherlock has told you all about my prestigious accomplishments which I was able to do because I’m leaps and bounds above you. So when Sherlock gets bored of you, and he realizes you’re no match for his intellect, who is going to be there? Who’s going to be good enough? Me.” 

Lukas pushed off his locker, turned on his heel and left. On his walk down the hallway, he felt himself fill with pride at the fact that John had not busted his nose. 

John himself pushed off the locker and turned in the opposite direction, feeling himself school his face but he still felt the radiating feeling in his chest. He had never given it much thought, really. It had never been something he bothered to allow cross his mind because he and Sherlock were exactly that, just them.

But when someone else pointed out the fact that Sherlock was in fact, a genius, it made him feel very self aware of his own intellect which he had already been aware was absolutely little to no match to Sherlock’s mind which was essentially a multitude of John’s intellect in his own.

Again, he knew Sherlock loved him, and that they were happy together.   
But was that going to be enough for Sherlock Holmes? The one who was always reading, always attempting to read something new, was he enough for him? 

Walking down the hall towards his car, he couldn’t help but be hounded by the thoughts Lukas had just put into his brain.   
____________________

The following day was Friday, which meant it was the last day of classes before the summer truly commenced. 

The entire school was practically vibrating with anticipation for this summer which was going to be full of nothing but joy because for many, it was the summer before their last year which meant they were going to have to crack down the following semester with their grades and filling out university applications. 

There was quite a bit of excitement surrounding John the entire day, but he couldn’t help but weighed down by the comments Lukas had made. 

Sherlock had noticed John distractedness during their shared Literature class, but it became even more prominent during their lunch time which they always shared in an empty classroom. John was quiet, much, much too quiet to be signifying something good. 

“You okay?” Sherlock asked tentatively, though John only nodded, quickly distracted once more by his thoughts. 

He knew better than to pry, so he took out his phone and saw new messages from Lukas to which he was going to respond, but John interrupted with an irritated tone. 

“Are you still texting Lukas?” 

Sherlock gave him a confused look before he nodded because it had never been a true topic of conversation, much less one to promote John’s irritated tone as he had just spoken in. 

“Really? So you’re texting this new guy, but you’re texting him more than you’re texting me. You’re calling him on the phone, but you never call me on the phone. Do you like this guy or something? Because I would really appreciate some honesty right about now.” 

“Are you serious? You’re seriously asking if I have feelings for this random guy who just transferred here at the end of the year. Really?” Sherlock asked incredulously, causing John to shake his head while he stood. 

“Fine, you know what? If you want to go ahead and text this wanker and that one, do it. Do what you want, I don’t- just do what you want.” John finished before taking his bag and leaving Sherlock alone, and very much confused. 

Shaking his own head, he stood and headed for the door and out towards the direction of where he knew Molly hung out with Greg during their lunch break. 

If anyone knew what he had done wrong, it was Molly. She was the most sensible person he knew, aside from John of course.  
________________________

“So you’re confused because John stormed out after you and Lukas had been texting the last week or so?” Molly asked with a tilt of her head as she removed the tomato from her chicken sandwich.

After successfully stealing Molly from Greg, the two were currently at a diner that was far enough from the school that they wouldn’t be caught for leaving the premises, though they had concluded their grades were high enough to ditch the rest of the day. 

“Yes.” He responded affirmatively before he drank his water.

“Let me put it this way.” Molly began, “How would you feel, if John were to meet a new girl or guy, and they were really, really smart, really quite good looking, and really, really flirtatious. They meet and they begin talking, a lot. Texting, calling, constantly talking in the hallways, but they want something more with John and you start noticing that they’re flirting with John, and they’re always doing out of pocket things to try to stray John away from you.” 

Sherlock gave her a hard look as he thought, before he finally had a comment, “I would feel really intimidated. But I would also feel confused as to how John found someone that intelligent on such short notice.” 

Molly gave him a dead panned look before chuckling a bit, “Okay well regardless of the improbable statistics of John encountering someone more intelligent than you in within the same area. I mean, John is feeling how you would feel if you were to be in his shoes, is what I’m saying.” 

Nodding, Sherlock couldn’t really process it well enough until Molly butt in once more. “Remember when Mary was hanging around John a lot?”

“Oh. Oh. Wow. I- I don’t know what to- what do I do? John has never needed reassurance. He’s always so self confident.” 

Molly only gave him a smile with a shake of her head, “Everyone needs reassurance sometimes, Sherlock. People come into the lives of those who we care about, and we just need some reassurance to feel 100% secure about the relationship and there is absolutely no wrong in needing reassurance. It’s just John’s turn to be reassured.”

He agreed wholeheartedly, though it did make his heart swell at the fact that John was upset over something he had complete control over, in terms of Lukas he could cut the boy out of his life. He was grateful it wasn’t something uncontrollable. 

“I don’t want him to feel the way he’s feeling. John is a very level headed individual, and for him to just project his feelings out towards me out of nowhere. I don’t want him to feel as poorly as he may be feeling right now.” Sherlock said solemnly, but it was evident to Molly that Sherlock loved John more than anything around him. 

Reaching over the table to take his hand, she gave him a reassuring smile, “John loves you. He just feels threatened because this random guy is coming out of nowhere trying to rip the rug out from underneath him because he’s infatuated with the enigma that is Sherlock Holmes. Just let him know you love him and that you’re not going anywhere, and that your relationship is as strong as ever.” 

Nodding he hit his lip as he looked down to his lunch. While Molly wasn’t always the most talkative person, when she did go all out in her speeches she did have some wonderful, well thought out points in regards to the situation. 

“It’ll all be okay Sherlock. He loves you and you him. You two have caused tremendous positive growth in one another. You’re not just the guy in the corner of the class that was too quiet to reach out and get close to anyone other than me. John isn’t just the apathetic player had never been in a relationship for more than a week- much less a committed seven months relationship. You two do well for one another. Don’t doubt that.” 

With a genuine smile Sherlock nodded before he reached out for his water again before Molly stopped him and gestured for his food, “Come on, eat your lunch. Let’s eat and I’ll drop you off in at John’s house so you two love birds make up.” 

Rolling his eyes playfully he nodded as he took a fry from his plate and began eating it while Molly continued her ministrations of removing the unwanted toppings from her sandwich before she looked up to Sherlock with a mischievous look on her face, “You know what I heard? Camile, that girl in our physics class, she’s dating the TA”

Motioning for her to continue, she continued on about the rumor mill to which she had been subject to during her Study Hall class the day prior while Sherlock had been in the library seeking out books for the summer that he couldn’t get online. 

He rarely thought about it, but he was truly grateful for Molly Hooper becoming a part of his life.   
______________

Molly had done as she had promised and she had dropped him off at John’s house after he had only picked at his lunch after he had been subtly overwhelmed with thoughts of what he was going to tell John. 

After paying for both of them since there really wasn’t a need for Molly to pay, Sherlock had headed to John’s place with Molly which is where he currently was standing before. 

He had been to John’s house of course, but his mother’s car was currently parked outside unlike it had been in the previous visitations he had paid John’s house. Since his mother was a nurse, her hours and days off varied from week to week. 

Taking a deep breath he knocked and waited for the door to be open. When it was, he was greeted by a kind looking woman who John evidently held a strong resemblance to. The kind blue eyes were immaculately identical, as were the smiles. 

“Yes- oh you’re the boy in the photos on John’s desk, yes, hello it’s nice to finally meet you. It’s a great that you’re here, he’s been sulking since he came home early.” She spoke with a widening smile as she opened the door and gestured for Sherlock to enter. He was grateful he had gone for a more appealing outfit today which was black jeans and another button up shirt, though this one was a light blue since he had been presenting the last of his portfolio in his history class. 

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you as well.” Sherlock gave her a shy smile which she only mimicked with her own wide and welcoming smile. 

“John’s upstairs. I’m sure you know where his room is. We can properly get to know one another after you deal with his sulking self.” Ms. Watson gestured for Sherlock to go up the stairs which he did with a grateful nod, practically sprinting up the stairs before he stood in front of John’s shut door. 

Knocking, he heard a mutter of “Not hungry.” before he sighed and opened the door only to find John popping his head up from where he had been laying on his bed before the door was abruptly open. 

Sighing, he only put his head down because it wasn’t like he wanted Sherlock to leave, he just didn’t have anything to say. 

Stepping in, he shut the door behind him soundly before going over to the bed and sitting across from where John really was sulking. Giving him a brief smile, he reached over and began rubbing his hand up and down John’s pajama clad leg in a comforting motion he had found out soothed John in even his most anxious moments. 

Giving it a second before he spoke, he took in the really quite peaceful moment they were both sharing. 

“I’m sorry I gave you reason to feel uneasy about our relationship. I really didn’t mean to do any such thing with Lukas, but he just intrigued me because he apparently had a massive intellect he hid behind his arrogant and irritating persona. But Lukas is just that, irritating. But you John, you are exactly just John which is all I ever need. I know that if you were to spend your time texting someone who is to be superior to me, well I wouldn’t like that very much.” Sherlock began, because it really was his place to apologize. 

“I don’t want you to feel like you’re not what I want because you are. You’re my best friend, John. Above all other things in this world you are my best friend and I hold you so dear to my heart I can’t bare for you to think otherwise. I love you, and I’m going to continue loving you for as long as this universe decides is fit. It’s okay to need reassurance, but talk to me, tell me you’re unhappy….don’t tell me to go spend time with my new boyfriend, or don’t come to your room to fill your head with unnecessary thoughts I know are not true.” 

After letting his words resonate, Sherlock watched as John sat up and gave him a sad smile which broke his heart. He immediately reached over and brought John to him in a tight embrace, bone-crushing, if you will. 

Feeling John bury his head into his neck, he tightened his only as he heard John sniffle slightly before he pulled away from Sherlock wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his shirt with a bit of a laugh. 

“I’m sorry for overreacting-” He started but Sherlock shook his head, “You’re allowed to feel how you feel. Your emotions are always valid to me, regardless of whether or not I understand them from the very beginning. I’m sorry for putting you in the position to feel this way. I’ll never do it again, but if I so happen to let me know.” 

John nodded, “Same goes for you...can we just lay here for a bit before we go out for dinner? Molly texted me and let me know you two were getting lunch but knowing you, you overthought the entire lunch and didn’t eat enough to sustain yourself.” 

Sherlock felt his heart drop in a way it only even dropped around John. In a way that was full of affection and adoration for the boy that was before him. 

Standing quickly, he went over to John’s pajama drawer and took out a pair he always kept there, alongside a shirt which he quickly changed into before he climbed into bed with John who looked as though a weight had been taken off of his shoulders. 

“Your mother says I’m the boy in the pictures.” Sherlock teased as he lay beside John who instantly curled to him. John only chuckled.

“I’m never letting her in my room again.” 

As they lay there together, talking about everything and nothing at the same time, it felt as though time were slipping away from their fingers in a way that could only be described as honey dripping from a finger. 

They were young, and they were in love. Everything felt as though it were expanding over the limitless horizon, because for them, life was barely beginning. But it was beginning with one another, something people do nothing but wish to have.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!  
> I'm sorry if you've been waiting for a timely update because evidently, I have not done you justice. I do apologize, but, I am in a university and I am in the middle of my dead-week. (week before finals)  
> It was definitely interesting writing John from this standpoint of his, since he's generally the most confident and our baby Sherlock is the one who needs reassurance. Though it was interesting in a good way.   
> Leave me comments! Let me know what you'd like to see in future (hopefully soon) updates! Let me know your thoughts! Your beliefs!   
> Thank you, much love, Lifeisforliving.


End file.
